A Choice Between Lies
by southern cross
Summary: Helo/Six. In the forest, the world burning around them, a choice is made; one that will change everything.
1. Chapter 1

I started writing this several summers ago and just recently dug it back out. Initially I was fascinated by how tall the two actors were and how pretty they would look together and it just snowballed from there. I usually write pure AU and while this is AU for sure it is also tightly within what we learned in Season One so bear with me. I would really, really like to know what you think, so please hit that little button at the bottom! I own nothing and mean no harm.

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Day One

Adrenaline could be blamed, some break down in rational thought due to radiation poisoning; there were any number of reasons why, why he was kissing a frakking Cylon.

"Are you alive?"

Helo hadn't thought, hadn't reflected, he had reacted. Grabbing the beautiful, yes beautiful, blonde toaster he read the surprise on her face, smirk, and leaned in close.

"I am now."

As far as kisses went this one, brutal and punishing as it was, was the stuff of legends.

Beneath his bloodied fingers her hair was incredibly soft. Warmth, heat wormed its way into his skin, he could feel his body stretch to accommodate the sensations.

He had not lied to her, at this moment he felt more alive than he could remember being. Why was it important? It wasn't.

Perhaps ending one's life in a lie would be too much taunting in the face of the gods.

Never mind the betrayal, the sheer madness of what was being done; he knew at that moment he was where he was meant to be.

&

Humans. Humans and the complexities of their emotions fascinated her. Pride, power, respect they had clung to Gaius as a second skin and he had worn them so well. The crouched man before her had done things sacrificed so much seen far more than the narrow world view of his own path how could she not wonder as to his true nature.

"Are you alive?"

Indeed there would be something comforting if Lt. Agathon, Helo, were one of them, a Cylon, for him to be a human, a true human, and to have done what he had done. Sacrifice for the greater good after what they come to know about the humans, it boggled the mind.

So caught up in her thoughts, she could but allow, his movements, his touch, "I am now."

He took, he demanded, he ripped a reaction from her that she hardly had language for.

A kiss, an intimate thing, a precious thing, when given and taken, nothing before had ever been this.

Strong hands held her, yes, she could break the hold, but she could not think why she would ever be anywhere else. How could she let go? Twisting her arms, she wrapped them around him pulling closer, kissing deeper.

In that moment, in this instant, all was altered.

This was meant to be.

She would not let him go.

&

Frak.

Frak, frak. The part of him that remembered who, what, she was had been trying and failing to beat down the part of him that was eager to, well, frak.

Right here, in the woods, at the end of the worlds, all he wanted needed was to bury him self inside of her. Consequences? Frak them, it was the end of the world after all.

He would not get the chance to see who would win the logic vs. libido battle. A grip and a pull and they were on the groun

"What?" her hand clamped, hard, down on his mouth. The soldier in him woke. Obeying at once and alert to his surroundings. The air was thick with something.

Danger, threat, hostiles were nearby. The world had not stopped revolving around them after all.

"There is a plan for you Lt. Agathon," her face was so close, close enough he could see a hint of green in the bluest part of her eye.

Focus. He needed to concentrate, "A plan?"

She nodded, "Yes, you have been chosen. You will be given a choice between lies."

A choice of lies?

Frowning, her hand once again shut his open mouth, not to far away he could hear shots being fired.

"I would offer you truth."

Shaking off the hold she had on his mouth, he thrust his chin up defiantly, "Why?"

&

Humans and their frustrating need to know their need to question.

Behind them the shooting drew nearer.

"It is meant to be," she did not know if he would believe her. They were almost out of time. She had to have faith.

Regardless of his decision she would not hand him over so she waited, with time that wasn't theirs, and hoped.

"Okay, but I have questions and I want answers," elated she smiled down at the stern expression.

"Of course, but we have to move, they will be here soon," if he wondered who they were, the bullets that shattered the tree above them would be a good indication.

Together they moved deeper through the underbrush. When word of what she had done spread there would be anger and confusion, of that she was certain, but she knew in her heart, her soul, that he was meant for her.

This decision was right, he would see the truth of what she said, and all would be well.

&

Each step forward was a step towards safety, he felt that, knew that. What he didn't know was why, 'why', he had agreed to follow her. The moment he was free he should have shot her, taken his chance alone, the feel of his sidearm snug against his hip was comforting.

Instead he let her take point, covered her back, and did not once question where she led. In his gut he knew that the something behind them was bad, the kind of bad you put a lot of distance between you and it.

Later he would worry about where Blondie was leading him, for now he just wanted to be away.

&

Abruptly the tree line dissipated, her eyes scanned the edge of concrete and steel pushing up against the forest that fought back for every inch taken away.

"There," pointing towards an unremarkable metal door she gave him no chance to protest simply striding across the uncovered terrain. Soon the streets would be swarming with Centurions once they realized they had left the cover of the woods.

Originally plans had called for an outdoor route, countryside and exposure, all designed to draw the players closer in the harsher climate.

There was a new plan now, rest was what he needed. Answers and strength was what she would give him.

The door was not locked, would only engage once they were inside, but first she had to reroute the sensor, tricking the system into thinking the safe house had yet to be breached. Tricky but she had been active in all aspects of the plan. There were more hide outs such as this, placed throughout Caprica, there was no telling, only guessing, where the original path would have led.

"What is this?" his question broke through the silence, satisfied that the system was not compromised she ushered him in, not turning until she was certain the locks had engaged and the system was sound.

"We will be safe here," she tested the door once more, satisfied she turned towards him; "you need rest and of course answers."

Under the fluorescence she saw the affect the radiological planet had begun doing to him, the damage was far more vicious than she had ever imagined.

Pale and visibly shaking she lent him an arm, pleased that he leaned on her, and led him to the closest cot.

"Nice set-up," pulling off his battered flight suit, she spared him a smile before going to work on his boots.

"It has its uses," freed from the suit and boots he took on a decidedly more male air. Absorbing the detail, she blinked her thoughts back into focus.

"These will have to be destroyed," turning she pulled fresh pants and shirts from a rack of metal shelves that lined the wall behind her, "contaminated."

She could feel his eyes, wary, studying, and calculating.

"Contaminated, that's me," his smile was bitter, twisting his features.

"Come, this will help the exposure," reaching out a hand she waited, could wait forever if she needed. With a sigh he took her hand, raising only an eyebrow when she pulled him up without effort. She was reminded then of his height, in her exposure of humans, she rarely had to look up to meet eyes, but with him her head tilted back, the tips of her hair brushing her shoulders.

Leading and leaving him at the small shower taking a moment to savor his delight at the prospect of hot water, she left him to bathe; busying her self with actions to aid in his comfort, his healing.

Filters were activated, the clean air would do him good, and lest she forget, "Here, this will help."

Careful not to look, she handed him a bottle, the solution inside would clean his skin of the radiation far better than the soap at his feet.

Gathering his discarded uniform she tossed them into the trash chute, soon enough hers would follow. While the irradiated planet would do her no harm the Lt. was not to be so fortunate.

Not long after she laid out food, water, and a stronger dose of medication, she heard a throat clear.

"Better?" he nodded.

"Yeah, it's nice to be clean," already he looked better. His skin was not quite as pale against the black of his clothes. It startled her to see his bare feet, so exposed, so intimate a detail she didn't see him move.

"For me?" he was pointing towards the spread behind her.

"Yes, yes," she stepped forward, glad that he did not retreat, "I'll wash, then we'll talk."

With her own set of clean and far more practical garments she moved past him towards the stall only to have his hand catch her arm.

&

Beneath his fingers he felt the steady beat of her pulse. Funny, she was so real, so human, but so not, but that was neither here nor there.

"Thank you," for what it was worth he was grateful.

He had surprised her, it pleased him that he could, she nodded and he released her with a smile.

Leaving her with the privacy she had respected he examined what she had left for him. Food, water, meds, practical and efficient, and he briefly considered the possibility that one or more might be tainted, but just as quickly discredited the thought. Why go through the trouble to save him from gunfire only to poison him with an MRE, far easier to use a gun, than spike a med pack.

Decided he indulged in reverse, taking a seat on the cot, his legs stretched out before him, crossed at the ankles, he ate two packs and part of a third until he decided he was full.

Enjoying being really dry and really full it was there he remained until she emerged from the small head wearing clothes so similar to his and yet draped so very differently on her.

Efficiently and with purpose she moved about the room. Discarding her clothes and retrieving a towel for her hair. He wondered if they were all as obsessive over such details or if it was just her.

"Feeling better?" she asked as she worked the cloth through the wet locks, "the color is back in your cheeks."

"I am," and truly he was, "I have questions," scooting to his right, he turned as she sat until they faced one another, with her hair pulled back into the small tight ponytail her face was open to him, and he wasn't sure if he was grateful for the reveal.

She placed her hands in her lap, resigning herself, "ask what you will."

Curious, he raised an eyebrow in question, "Anything?"

Her eyes were clear and blue and on his, "yes, I will not lie to you Lt."

"Helo."

Puzzled, she cocked her head slightly to the right, he had surprised her again, "I'm sorry."

"My call sign is Helo, I prefer that," he wondered if she, they, has names.

Nodding, he watched her watching him, "I am called Caprica," Caprica, it suited her.

Introductions done, their eyes met. "What would you like to know first?"

His left shoulder braced against the wall he took a deep breath, "Start at the beginning."

&

Over the next two hours her tale, saga, epic unfolded.

At times there had been yelling, some tears, a few laughs, but mostly there had been pain, horror, denial at the words she spoke.

He had argued, ranted, paced, but she had never faltered. For every piece of information she had shared, no matter how much he hated what had been revealed, he knew she had spoken the truth.

In the end he had sunk to the floor, trapped in a room with the person most responsible for the destruction of his world, all worlds, by sleeping with the man he had traded his life for.

Most incredibly it wasn't that thought that he most circled around, no, it was the knowledge that somewhere out there, Boomer, Sharon, was on the hunt.

&

The moan of anguish cut into her, dug deep into a place she hadn't known existed inside of her. Dropping to her knees before him, she wrapped her arms around his hunched shoulders. Nothing had been withheld, she had given all that he had asked for, all of it and now, there was pain. His pain.

Comfort, empathy they were emotions her people knew well, so she offered what comfort she could. Letting him expunge what was inside, she could, would take it. She was as strong as she was patient.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Gods above it's been so long since those days on Caprica so I apologize if the timeline is off but this is way AU so forgive me. I own nothing and mean no harm and would love to read some reviews!!!

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Day 9

"Anything?" anxious to be moving again, Helo scanned the rooftops for any eyes.

"One second," half a dozen times he had seen her uplink, and he still found it unsettling.

The Centurion they had taken down had nicked her left shoulder and they had used what was left of their ammo destroying it. They were exposed and unarmed and he didn't like it.

So far the communications she had had with the other models had garnered mixed reactions. While he doubted what good would come from it, he understood her need to make peace with her people.

He could respect that, had come to respect her. After all they had endured the past two weeks she had more than earned his respect, his trust.

Those first few days had been the worst; he had been unrelenting in his hatred towards her. Cruel when it was not needed, he had said and done things he was not proud of.

Still she had stayed, fought for and by him, until the anger had faded. The simple need to survive had been too strong. Hate, real hate, left no room in your soul for anything else. One thing he had learned these past few days, he was not built to really hate.

"I'm in," he knew she would need two minutes at the least, so he watched her back, looking for hostiles and silently urging her to hurry the frak up.

&

Her arguments were valid, so far only the Sharon's and for reasons unclear to her the Doral's, held out. She severed the connection hopeful. Against D'Anna, Leoben and Brother Cavil the holdouts would have a tough time. Simon cared little; his line was knee deep in knives and blood. Soon she prayed their blessings would be forthcoming.

That's not to say they would stop their pursuit. No, they would still send their scouts, what they planned for Helo was too important. Now that he knew, well, everything, his value had increased.

"Tell me again why you do this?"

They had retreated into the garage and he was tending to her wound, the hastily applied field dressing would hold until they got back under real cover.

"They have almost agreed," she winced when he applied the alcohol.

"I figured, but I don't see what good will come of it," his gaze shifted from her arm to her eyes, "you said it they wouldn't stop coming."

"We've been through this," hissing as he applied pressure, "once they are in agreement then we can-"

"-We can what? Run around with their blessing," he was right. They couldn't keep this up.

Both of them were past their limit.

"Thank you," gripping his offered hand she leaned her good side against him.

Her Lieutenant was an imposing figure. Height had been one of her advantages, one that was now his.

"I know a place," he snorted.

"Of course you do," now he was upset.

&

"What's wrong?" she would not meet his eyes, "I am doing my best Helo."

He knew that, of course he knew that, now.

"I know, I know;" tightening his grip on her, "Let's move."

Before long they were locked away in another of the emergency shelters. Good to know that what the Cylons did, they did with total and complete detail, it also helps when you with someone who knew the locations and had conveniently deleted said data during an uplink, they accounted for any and all possibilities.

Except that one of their own would go off book and assist the mark. He knew what she had done, the relevance, and the enormity of it.

"You shower first, it's been two days," before she could pass by, off to organize their supplies, an obsessive compulsive machine, "wait," he caught her arm, no; she was so much more than that.

"Just wait," again he surprised, again it gave him a jolt.

Invading her personal space, his free hand traced a cut that had reopened on her jaw line. Beneath his fingertips she reacted to his touch. Just a machine? Hardly. Although it would be so much easier if she was just a creation, not real, not alive.

But he had seen her bleed, hurt, laugh.

Kissing her this time was no accident, no this he did out of need. Leaning in, mindful of both their aches and pains, he kissed her.

&

Once it started, it wouldn't stop. The feelings, the sensations, the ache in her chest grew until it hurt to breathe. Neither was at their best, and yet they still managed to shed their clothes, lips never leaving each others newly exposed skin.

"Shower," she nodded at his suggestion, feet moving backwards, mouth moving up his neck.

His body, she traced the lines his arms, chest, back; was perfect. The points where their bodies met was perfection, as though when they were created they were one, split, and had now found one another.

That was what she felt.

The foreplay was not pretty, touches, kisses, water; they crashed together in the small stall. But then at the very moment he entered her, stretched, ripped, separated the untouched skin, there was such beauty it blinded her.

A moment so real, so clear, she knew life.

"Helo," a whisper, a blessing, he kissed her gently, no tenderly, she the caress down clear to her toes. She had never known a touch like that, had not imagined it would exist for her.

Holding his shoulders as she could, her thighs tightened around his hips, and he began to move.

What a wonderful feeling; to be filled, stretched, empty and overwhelmed. Then it happened again and again until her pleading, moaning, and living drowned out everything else.

&

"Please," trusting her ability to hold on, he slipped a wet hand between their bodies; he was not gentle, no he was beyond that. A quick firm upstroke of his thumbnail on her clit drew a gasp from her, the tight pull of her muscles around his cock very nearly undid him, but he would give her what he took.

Biting down on her shoulder, pushing of his orgasm, he worked his thumb furiously, combined with the thrusting of his cock, she could not hold out very long. She came violently, yelling into the air in a language it seemed only, all, females knew.

Pleased, he cupped her ass, changing the angle enough that he could pound his way deeper and harder inside her tightening orgasm.

Harder, faster, deeper, his vision blurred, every joint locked as his back arched and he came and came and came.

&

Her eyes opened, everything was the same, water, shower, Helo; Helo whose head was buried in her neck, breathing, calming, more with every heartbeat.

The low rumble of his laughter startled her, "Helo?"

"That was," his head rose, "amazing."

In that moment, in that smile he gave her, she knew she loved him.

&

"Indeed," he pressed a kiss to her lips, hands still cupping her ass, he wondered if her skin would show his marks tomorrow. A visible mark that she had been his.

If not, hell, he could always try again.

Again? His cock was still buried inside of her and he was considering a next time. Where was the regret? The guilt?

"What is it?" she could see something in his eyes, a shadow, a doubt. In a blink he look was gone and he was smiling at her again, hopefully it was enough to convince her it had been a fleeting moment, one best forgotten.

"I guess we solved the problem of who gets to shower first."

&

Unprepared for the appearance of his humor, she smiled. Curious, she ran her finger over the shape of his smile, the innocent touch turned when he caught her pinkie between his teeth; biting, sucking, until she couldn't catch her breath.

"Maybe we better finish our shower, huh? Move this somewhere less taxing," realizing he was supporting all of her weight she quickly lowered her legs.

He pulled out as she slid out, the friction was positively delicious, she took no note of his glance down, did not see his face pale at the sight of blood on his cock. Turning, reaching for the soap, the firm grip on her arm startled her.

"What?" over her shoulder she saw finally that he was pale, shocked, "What's wrong?"

His eyes flicked downward, hers followed.

"I thought you and Baltar…" he didn't want to talk about another man, that man, but he had to know had to understand.

How stupid. She had forgotten but she then she had never imagined, "I'm sorry. I should have explained," as quickly as she could, clinically and methodically, she explained how after downloading, the bodies are new; untouched.

"I see," they had made it no further out of the shower; they simply stood under the water.

She wanted to know what he was thinking, wanted to touch, reassure, but she was unsure if she had the right.

Yes, it was incredibly strange, a virgin, but not; carnal in mind yet innocent in body. His rational mind was slightly nauseated at the harsh fact of who she was, but it was the far less rational part of him that was delighted at the thought of frakking a virgin. Either way, what was done was done.

"You should have told me," he wanted to see her, but her attention was on her hands.

"I know," he took hold of her clasped hands.

"I would have been less…" she looked up then, understanding what he implied.

"No, no Helo," he kissed her, effectively putting an end to what had not yet started.

&

Again he amazed her. Clean and dry she watched him devour a third MRE. His acceptance of what she had revealed, the lack of condemnation was an amazing thing.

Were all humans like this?

Able to accept, absorb, so quickly. What she had seen she did not think so. Could not imagine Gaius being apologetic had he been in the same situation.

Funny, he had not even noticed the blood on the sheets that first afternoon.

"Why do you think love would lead to conception?" the question was so wholly unexpected she gaped at him.

&

Smirking, he finished off the last bit of what may or may not have been turkey. Licking each finger off as she took her time composing herself.

"It was a theory, one that needed to be tested," she wasn't sure why he had brought that up of things.

"It's just from what I remember love and emotion have little to do with the process," he offered her a drink of water, "more along the lines of the parts in working order and compatibility."

Last leave he had gotten a check-up at Cottle's and been given the all clear. They had not used protection and he fairly certain he had shot a load worthy of remembrance.

At the touch on his shoulder he looked over. What he had implied had sunk in; she looked over at him with a bright incredulity.

He was well and truly frakked. Trapped on a dying planet with a Cylon traitor he had frakked. As her hand cupped his head, her fingers tracing his ear, he was pretty certain he would frak her again. It was inevitable. This would be his life.

Who would understand why he was drawn to her?

Why he was not repulsed by what she done; what she would have done.

How can you define the indefinable?

As he lay back, allowing her to move over his body, he knew he was not smart enough to sort it out or strong enough to resist her.


End file.
